Xu Shiyou
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Xu Shiyou (; 1906–1985) was a general in the Chinese
People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
.


Early career

Born in Xinxian, Henan Province (it belonged to Hubei previously), Xu grew up studying martial arts at the
Shaolin Temple Shaolin Monastery (少林寺 ''Shàolínsì''), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a renowned monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the So ...
for eight years and he later became a soldier in
Wu Peifu Wu Peifu or Wu P'ei-fu (; April 22, 1874 – December 4, 1939) was a major figure in the struggles between the warlords who dominated Republican China from 1916 to 1927. Early career Born in Shandong Province in eastern China, Wu initi ...
's warlord army. After having served as a lieutenant in the
Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
army, he joined the
Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
in 1927. Xu first emerged in the annals of Chinese military history in Hubei in 1927, as part of a nascent military unit that included future generals
Qin Jiwei Qin Jiwei (; 16 November 1914 – 2 February 1997) was a general of the People's Republic of China, Minister of National Defense and a member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo. Qin Jiwei was born to a poor peasant family in Huang'an (now ...
and Chen Zaidao. In 1932, he commanded the 34th Regiment, 12th Division of the
Fourth Front Army Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...
led by future Marshall
Xu Xiangqian Xu Xiangqian (November 8, 1901 – September 21, 1990) was a Chinese Communist military leader and one of the ten marshals of the People's Liberation Army. He was the son of a wealthy landowner, but joined the Kuomintang's National Revolutio ...
. His deputy in the 25th Division, 9th Corps (which Xu later led) in 1933-36,
Chen Xilian Chen Xilian (pronounced ; 4 January 1915 – 10 June 1999) was a Chinese military officer and politician, general of the People's Liberation Army. A prominent Maoist, he held very important positions in both military and political spheres. Foll ...
, later rose to serve on the
Politburo Standing Committee The Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), officially the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is a committee consisting of the top leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Histori ...
during the
Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
. By the age of 29, Xu Shiyou commanded the Red 9th Corps of the Fourth Front Army. Eight months after the First Front Army abandoned the
Jiangxi Soviet Jiangxi (; ; formerly romanized as Kiangsi or Chianghsi) is a landlocked province in the east of the People's Republic of China. Its major cities include Nanchang and Jiujiang. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north into hi ...
and embarked on the
Long March The Long March (, lit. ''Long Expedition'') was a military retreat undertaken by the Chinese Red Army, Red Army of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the forerunner of the People's Liberation Army, to evade the pursuit of the National Revolut ...
, it met up with
Zhang Guotao Zhang Guotao (November 26, 1897 – December 3, 1979), or Chang Kuo-tao, was a founding member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and rival to Mao Zedong. During the 1920s he studied in the Soviet Union and became a key contact with the Comi ...
’s Fourth Front Army, in June 1935 at Maogong, Sichuan. Zhang favored consolidating power in Sichuan whereas
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
wanted to continue on to Gansu and Ningxia, to receive aid from the Soviet Union. The compromise decision was to convene a conference, in July at Mao’ergai. Despite support from
Liu Bocheng Liu Bocheng (; December 4, 1892 – October 7, 1986) was a Chinese military commander and Marshal of the People's Liberation Army. Liu is known as the 'half' of the "Three and A Half" Strategists of China in modern history. (The other th ...
,
Zhu De Zhu De (; ; also Chu Teh; 1 December 1886 – 6 July 1976) was a Chinese general, military strategist, politician and revolutionary in the Chinese Communist Party. Born into poverty in 1886 in Sichuan, he was adopted by a wealthy uncle at ...
and other commanders, Mao would not be convinced. As a result, the Fourth Front Army was divided into a Left Column under Liu, Zhu and Zhang; and a Right Column under Xu Xiangqian. Xu Shiyou at the time commanded a cavalry regiment. The Second Front Army, under
He Long He Long (; March 22, 1896 – June 9, 1969) was a Chinese Communist revolutionary and one of the ten marshals of the People's Liberation Army. He was from a poor rural family in Hunan, and his family was not able to provide him with any formal e ...
and
Ren Bishi Ren Bishi (; 30 April 1904 – 27 October 1950) was a military and political leader in the early Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In the early 1930s, Ren commanded the Fifth Red Army and was a central figure in the Hunan-Jiangxi Soviet, but ...
, and
Xiao Ke Xiao Ke (; July 14, 1907 – October 24, 2008) was a general of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, former vice chairman of the CPPCC, as well as principal of the University of Military and Politics. Biography Early life Xiao was born in Jia ...
's Sixth Front Army linked up with the Fourth Front Army in June 1936. Again dividing their forces, He Long took the Second on a northward line toward Gansu while Zhang led his forces somewhat west of that line. The result was that Zhang’s Fourth Front Army was battered by Nationalist and warlord troops, and arrived in Yenan in poor shape in October 1936. Zhang was forced to submit to Mao’s leadership. In the first half of 1937, just prior to the formal beginning of the Sino-Japanese War, the purge of
Zhang Guotao Zhang Guotao (November 26, 1897 – December 3, 1979), or Chang Kuo-tao, was a founding member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and rival to Mao Zedong. During the 1920s he studied in the Soviet Union and became a key contact with the Comi ...
and his closest officers sparked turmoil within the party. Cadets of the Fourth Front Army studying at the
Counter-Japanese Military and Political University Counter-Japanese Military and Political University (), also commonly known as Kàngdà () and Kangri Junzheng University (), was a comprehensive public university located in Yan'an, Shaanxi, the headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party during t ...
(Kang Da), including Xu, confronted the party leadership over accusations that Zhang was disloyal. In 1939,
Xu Xiangqian Xu Xiangqian (November 8, 1901 – September 21, 1990) was a Chinese Communist military leader and one of the ten marshals of the People's Liberation Army. He was the son of a wealthy landowner, but joined the Kuomintang's National Revolutio ...
led elements of the 129th Division – including Xu Shiyou and
Han Xianchu Han Xianchu (; 1913–1986) was a general of the Chinese Communist Party. Han participated in many military campaigns and battles such as Battle of Pingxingguan, Liaoshen Campaign, Pingjin Campaign, Hainan Campaign, and the Korean War. In 195 ...
– into western Shandong to recruit new soldiers. Xu Shiyou went on to serve as deputy commander of the 385th Brigade, 129th Division in eastern Shandong and expanded his forces into the 11th Army of Marshall
Chen Yi Chen Yi may refer to: * Xuanzang (602–664), born as Chen Yi, Chinese Buddhist monk in Tang Dynasty * Chen Yi (Kuomintang) Chen Yi (; courtesy names Gongxia (公俠) and later Gongqia (公洽), sobriquet Tuisu (退素); May 3, 1883 – June ...
’s Third Field Army. One of his key deputies during the war was Nie Fengzhi, who would later command the
Chinese People's Volunteers The People's Volunteer Army (PVA) was the armed expeditionary forces deployed by the People's Republic of China during the Korean War. Although all units in the PVA were actually transferred from the People's Liberation Army under the orde ...
Air Force during the Korean War. Xu remained in Shandong until 1954. In the fall of 1947, Xu commanded the East Front Army Corps of Chen Yi’s East China Field Army (later the 3rd Field Army); his political commissar,
Tan Zhenlin Tan Zhenlin (; 24 April 1902 – 30 September 1983) was a political commissar in the People's Liberation Army during the Chinese Civil War, and a politician after the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Tan Zhenlin was born in You C ...
, was one of the most powerful figures in East China. They took Jinan in September 1948.


Regional power

At the end of the war, Xu’s forces found themselves in Shanghai, and he became a member of the East China Military and Administrative Committee under Chen Yi and
Su Yu Su Yu (; August 10, 1907 – February 5, 1984), Courtesy name Yu (裕) was a Chinese military commander, a general of the People's Liberation Army. He was considered by Mao Zedong to be among the best commanders of the PLA, only next to P ...
. As the Korean War unfolded, he moved into Shandong (assuming a seat on the local governing committee and the post of Military District Commander), to confront what was thought to be the risk of an American landing on Chinese soil. In Shandong, he worked closely with
Gu Mu Gu Mu (; September 1914 – November 6, 2009) was a Chinese revolutionary figure and politician, who served as the Vice-Premier of the People's Republic of China between 1975 and 1982. As one of Deng Xiaoping's main aides in charge of economic m ...
and
Kang Sheng Kang Sheng (; 4 November 1898 – 16 December 1975) was a Chinese Communist politician best known for having overseen the CCP's internal security and intelligence apparatus during the early 1940s and again at the height of the Cultural Revolut ...
. In 1959, his 12th and 60th Corps returned from Korea to the Nanjing Military Region where they provided the power base he would enjoy well into the 1970s. Xu served as Commander of the Nanjing Military Region (1954–74), first under East China Military and Administrative Committee chairman
Rao Shushi __NOTOC__ Rao may refer to: Geography * Rao, West Sumatra, one of the districts of West Sumatra, Indonesia * Råö, a locality in Kungsbacka Municipality, Halland County, Sweden Transport * Dr. Leite Lopes–Ribeirão Preto State Airport , IAT ...
, and then for ten years with
Gang of Four The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang ...
member
Zhang Chunqiao Zhang Chunqiao (; 1 February 1917 – 21 April 2005) was a prominent Chinese political theorist, writer, and politician. He came to the national spotlight during the late stages of the Cultural Revolution, and was a member of the ultra-Maoist gr ...
as his political commissar (1967–76). This assignment was the single longest tenure of any Military Region commander on record. Among his deputies during the 1960s were future regional leaders Sung Shilun, Wang Bicheng and Tan Qilong, As the armed forces were called in to restore administrative control, he became Chairman of the Jiangsu Province Revolutionary Committee (1968–74) and CCP First Secretary (1970–74). In the long-delayed military region reshuffle initiated under
Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. After CC ...
, Xu was rotated to command the Guangzhou MR (1974–80). Xu and political commissar Wei Guoqing provided protection for
Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. After CC ...
in 1976, when the future paramount leader was purged by the Gang of Four following the death of
Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 J ...
. Xu was also commander in chief for the Chinese forces in the
Sino-Vietnamese War The Sino-Vietnamese War (also known by #Names, other names) was a border war fought between China and Vietnam in early 1979. China launched an offensive in response to Vietnam's Cambodian–Vietnamese War, actions against the Khmer Rouge in 1 ...
in 1979.


Central power

After being elected an Alternate Member of the 8th Central Committee in 1956, Xu Shiyou served in the
Politburo A politburo () or political bureau is the executive committee for communist parties. It is present in most former and existing communist states. Names The term "politburo" in English comes from the Russian ''Politbyuro'' (), itself a contraction ...
of the 9th, 10th and 11th CCP Central Committees (1969–82). He was a Vice Minister of National Defense (1959–70) and a member of the National Defense Council (1965–75). From 1980, he was also a member of the Military Affairs Commission. In September 1982, Xu became the only military officer named a founding Vice Chairmen of the Central Advisory Commission.


Personal life and important events

Xu Shiyou married three times. His first wife was a traditional rural woman. The second wife, Li Mingzhen, was married to him in the E-Yu-Wan border region. His third and the last wife, Tian Pu, was married to him in Shandong during the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
(1937–1945). Both Li Mingzhen and Tian Pu are members of the People's Liberation Army. Tian died on June 30 2017. *In September 1926, Xu joined the Chinese Communist Youth League and go to Wuhan to participate in the National Revolutionary Army. Division 1 Group. *In August 1927, he joined the Red Army, served for Red Mountain Area 31 Division 2 team squad. *In November 1927, he was the platoon leader of Red Army 31 Division 4 Team 5 platoon. *In 1929, he was appointed a battalion regiment commander of 31 Division 1. *In April 1930, he served for Red Army regiment 12, division 34. *In July 1933, he was appointed Deputy Army and Chairman of Red 9 Jun 25 Division. Red Army commander, he Participated in the Long March. *In November 1936, he studied in Red Army college when they reached northern Shaanxi. *In 1938, he was Deputy Minister of Administrative Affairs. Anti-Japanese Military and Political University *In June 1939, he was the Deputy Brigade Commander of 129 Brigade Division 386 of The Eighth Route Army *In October 1939, he was in the Northern Bureau of the CCP Central Committee. *In September 1940, column of the Eighth Route Army 3rd Brigade of Shandong. *In February 1942, he was the Chief of Staff of Shandong column. *In 1942, he was appointed member of Shandong, Shandong Military Region Commander of the Regional party committee. *During the Liberation War, he served as regional party committee members Shandong, Shandong Military Region Commander. *In 1947, he was the Commander of the 9th column, East Field Army Corps, Shandong Corps Commander and was on Party Committee. *In March 1949, he was a member of Shandong Military Region Deputy Commander. *After the founding of the PRC, he was the Military Region Deputy Commander of Shandong branch of the CCP Central Committee. *From December 1949 to 1953, he was on the Huadong Military Committee. *From January 1950 to 1951, he was on CCP Central Committee, Shandong Branch Commission for Discipline Inspection. *From April 1950 to 1953, he was Shandong Military Region Commander. *From December 1952 to 1954, he was the deputy secretary of Shandong branch, CCP Central Committee. *From April 1953 to 1954, he served as commander of No. 3 in the Chinese People's Volunteers Corps. *From July 1953 to 1954, he was on the East CCP Central Committee Board. *From February 1954 to 1955, he was deputy commander of Military Region 2, No. 3 Military Party Committee secretary, Huadong region. *From October 1954 to 1959, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the PLA. *From March 1955 to 1973, he was appointed commander of Military Region 3 party secretary, party secretary of Nanjing Military Region. *From October 1958 to 1960, he was on Shanghai Bureau of the CCP Central Committee . *From September 1959 to 1978, he was appointed deputy defense minister. *From February 1961 to 1966, he was secretary of the CCP Central Committee East China Bureau. *From March 1968 to 1973, he was appointed director of Jiangsu Provincial Revolutionary Committee. *From March 1970, he was appointed Provincial Revolutionary Committee of the party's core team leader. *From December 1970 to 1973 he was on CCP Jiangsu Provincial Committee. *From April 1969 to 1982, he was the member of the CCP Central Military Commission the CCP Central Committee Political Bureau. *From January 1980 to 1982 He served as a member of the Standing Committee of CCP Central Military Commission. *From December 1973 to 1980, he was Guangzhou Military Region Commander, Military District No. 1 party secretary (April 1974 onwards). *From September 1982 to 1985 CCP Central Committee, he was the deputy director of Advisory Committee Standing Committee. Session 1-3 Defense Committee. No. 1,4,5 th National People's Congress. The 8th CCP Central Committee alternate members, (12) members, 9-11th Central Committee Political Bureau, member of the Central Advisory Board of 12 Elected member of the Standing Committee and deputy director. *In September 1955, he was awarded the rank of general, an honor Medal, an
Order of Independence and Freedom Order of Independence and Freedom () was a military award from the People's Republic of China. It was created in 1955, to give recognition to men who distinguished themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity" in combat with an enemy o ...
Medal, a Liberation Medal. *On October 22, 1985, he died in Nanjing.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Xu, Shiyou 1906 births 1985 deaths People's Liberation Army generals from Henan Politicians from Xinyang Governors of Guangdong People's Republic of China politicians from Henan Chinese Communist Party politicians from Henan Political office-holders in Jiangsu Commanders of the Guangzhou Military Region Members of the 11th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party Members of the 10th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party Members of the 9th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party Disciples of Shaolin Temple Deputy Ministers of National Defense of the People's Republic of China Deaths from cancer in the People's Republic of China Deaths from liver cancer